JP2001206611A - Discharged sheet receiving device and image forming apparatus having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent a jam of a sheet to be discharged even in the case of leaving a discharged sheet holding tray still raised by mistake. SOLUTION: This discharged sheet receiving device is provided with the discharged sheet holding tray 11 for receiving a sheet discharged by a sheet discharge means 8 for discharging a sheet from a frame 101 mounted on the frame 101 to be raised and laid. The discharged sheet holding tray is pushed down from the raised state by a sheet discharged by the sheet discharge means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a receiving device having an ejected sheet holding tray for receiving ejected sheets so that the ejected sheet holding tray can be turned upside down, and a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile machine equipped with this device and a composite device thereof. And the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, an ink jet recording type printer 1 which is an example of an image forming apparatus is configured such that a sheet S supplied from an auto sheet feeder 2 is conveyed by a conveying roller 3 in a main scanning direction (sheet). The carriage 5 on which the ink cartridges 4 are mounted is moved in the sub-scanning direction, which is a direction intersecting with the sheet conveying direction, while feeding the sheet in the conveying direction, thereby forming an image on the sheet.

The discharge sheet holding tray 6 is detachably attached to the main body 8 of the printer 1 and holds printed sheets discharged from the main body 8 of the printer 1 by the discharge roller 7 and a driven spur (not shown). You can receive it. The discharge sheet holding tray 6 is detached from the printer main body 8 when not in use, so that the printer 1 does not require a large area.

Another conventional printer 21 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 prints a sheet supplied from an automatic sheet feeder 22 and outputs the printed sheet to a discharge sheet holding tray 26.
To be discharged. Discharge sheet holding tray 2
Reference numeral 6 is attached to the main body 28 of the printer 21 so as to open and close the sheet discharge port 29, and also serves as an opening / closing lid. Therefore, when the printer 21 is not used, the discharge sheet holding tray 26 is partially stored in the sheet discharge port 29 of the main body 28, and is kept closed by a not-shown locking means. The sheet includes paper, a thin resin sheet which is a substitute for paper, and the like.

[0005]

However, the printer 1 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 needs a place for storing the discharged sheet holding tray 6 detached from the main body 8.

The printer 21 shown in FIGS.
When the printer 21 is operated, if the sheet discharge port 29 of the main body 28 is closed by the discharge sheet holding tray 26 by mistake,
In some cases, the sheet cannot be discharged, and the sheet may be jammed. Moreover, since the printer 21 has a structure in which the discharge sheet holding tray 26 is locked to the printer main body 8 by locking means (not shown), the printed sheet is discharged against the locking force of the locking means. Since the sheet holding tray 26 cannot be pushed open, the sheet cannot be discharged, which may cause a jam.

Therefore, it is conceivable to provide a sensor or the like for detecting the storage of the discharge sheet holding tray 26. However, there is a fear that another problem that a space for mounting the sensor is required and the cost is increased may occur. Was.

The present invention provides a discharged sheet receiving apparatus which does not require a storage space for a discharged sheet holding tray and prevents a sheet from being jammed, and an image forming apparatus provided with this apparatus in a main body. It is intended to be.

[0009]

The above object is achieved by the present invention,
A discharge sheet holding tray for receiving the sheet discharged by the sheet discharging means for discharging the sheet from the frame is provided on the frame so as to be capable of being turned upside down, and the discharge sheet holding tray is moved from the raised state to the sheet discharging means. It is pushed down by the sheet discharged by the printer and is solved by the discharged sheet receiving device.

The discharge sheet holding tray is connected to the frame by a connecting means so as to be able to be turned upside down.

[0011] The discharge sheet holding tray is connected to a mounting member detachable from the frame body by a connecting means so as to be able to be turned upside down.

The position of the center of gravity of the discharge sheet holding tray is set closer to the frame than the connecting means when the discharge sheet holding tray is raised.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming means for forming an image on a sheet according to the present invention, and the discharged sheet receiving apparatus according to any one of the above aspects, wherein a frame of the discharged sheet receiving apparatus is provided. The problem is solved by an image forming apparatus in which a body is an apparatus main body, the image forming unit and the sheet discharging unit are housed in the apparatus main body, and the discharged sheet holding tray is provided in the apparatus main body.

(Operation) The discharged sheet holding tray of the discharged sheet receiving apparatus of the present invention is tilted down when used,
The sheet discharged by the sheet discharging means is received.
Also, the discharge sheet holding tray is raised when not in use so that no storage space is required. Moreover, when the sheet is discharged by the sheet discharging means in the raised state,
The sheet is not pushed down by the sheet so as to prevent the sheet from being discharged.

The discharged sheet holding tray is turned upside down around the connecting means. If the center of gravity of the discharge sheet holding tray is set closer to the frame than the connection means, the raised state of the discharge sheet holding tray is maintained by the center of gravity. Furthermore, when the sheet is discharged in the raised state and the center of gravity passes through the position of the connecting means while being pushed down,
Fall down quickly with the help of the center of gravity.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of a printer as an example of a discharged sheet receiving apparatus and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, and a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. It will be described based on. 8 and 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

(First Embodiment) The present printer 100
This is an inkjet printer that forms an image on a sheet by discharging ink in accordance with an image information signal. In the image forming unit main body 14, a carriage 5 on which a recording head 18 having an ink discharge nozzle and an ink cartridge (image forming means) 4 having an ink tank 19 are detachably mounted.
While scanning in the direction of arrow A, ink is ejected from the recording head 18 onto the sheet S conveyed in the direction of arrow B by the conveyance roller 3 and the discharge roller 7 to form an image. . The auto sheet feeder 2 removably attached to the image forming unit main body 14 can set a plurality of sheets, and supplies the sheets to the image forming unit main body 14 one by one. It has become.

A paper discharge tray 12 for holding printed sheets discharged by a paper discharge roller 7 and a driven spur 20
Is detachably attached to a base 15 that supports the image forming unit main body 14 below. The paper discharge tray 12 includes a mounting member 10 that can be attached to and detached from the base 15 by a mounting / dismounting mechanism 13, and a discharge sheet holding tray 11 that is rotatably supported by the mounting member 10.
As shown in FIG. 4, the attachment / detachment mechanism 13 includes a dovetail groove 13a formed on the bottom surface of the base 15 and a protruding ridge having an inverted triangular cross section formed on the mounting member 10 and inserted into the dovetail groove 13a and can be removed. 13b.

When printing is performed, as shown in FIG. 2, the discharge sheet holding tray 11 is tilted forward (in the direction of arrow C). At this time, the discharged sheet holding tray 11 is held at a position where the trailing edge 11a of the discharged sheet holding tray 11 abuts on the front edge 10a of the mounting member 10 so that the sheet discharged can be held.

Next, when the printer is not in use, as shown in FIG.
With respect to 0, it is rotated toward the printer body (frame body) 101 until it comes into contact with the portion indicated by reference numeral 17 of the access cover 16. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the center of gravity G of the discharge sheet holding tray 11 is located closer to the printer main body 101 than the hinge type connecting portion (connecting means) 9 of the mounting member 10 and the discharge sheet holding tray 11. Sheet holding tray 11
Are held in a state of contact with the access cover 16, that is, the storage position.

When the printer is operated in this state, the sheet discharged by the discharge roller 7 and the driven spur 20 comes into contact with the access cover 16 and pushes the discharged sheet holding tray 11 from the inside. Here, since the discharged sheet holding tray 11 is held in the storage position only by its own weight, the discharged sheet is pushed down toward the near side (in the direction of arrow C) via the access cover 16 and the sheet shown in FIG. The sheet is rotated to the receiving position, and the sheet can be held. The paper discharge roller 7 and the driven spur 20 are provided with a paper discharge mechanism (sheet discharge means) 8.
Is composed.

At this time, the discharge sheet holding tray 11 in the storage position is pushed down by the discharge of the plain paper (basis weight 64 g / square m or more) to the front side and rotated to the sheet holding position. An angle α formed by a contact portion 17 between the tray 11 and the access cover 16, a line L1 connecting the attachment member 10 and the connecting portion 9 of the discharged sheet holding tray 11, and a line L2 in the sheet discharging direction (substantially horizontal plane) is formed. About 65 degrees or more is required. If it is smaller than about 65 degrees, the discharged sheet is rounded or bent, and the discharged sheet holding tray 11
Cannot be pushed down to the front side, and a jam may occur. Therefore, it is set that about 65 degrees ≦ α <about 90 degrees.

(Second Embodiment) A printer 200 according to a second embodiment shown in FIG. 7 has a mounting member 10 of the printer 100 according to the first embodiment integrally formed with a base 15 to hold a discharge sheet. The number of components is reduced by directly supporting the tray 11 to the printer body (frame body) 201 rotatably by a hinge type connecting portion (connecting means) 9. The center of gravity of the discharge sheet holding tray 11 is also located closer to the print main body 210 than the connecting portion 9.

The discharge tray 12 according to the first embodiment,
The discharge sheet holding tray 11 of the second embodiment can be incorporated not only in a printer but also in a main body of a copying machine, a facsimile, or the like, and is not incorporated only in the main body of the printer.

[0025]

According to the discharge sheet receiving device of the present invention, since the discharge sheet holding tray is provided on the frame so as to be capable of falling, the occupied space when the discharge sheet holding tray is not used can be reduced. Further, the discharged sheet holding tray is pushed down by the sheet when the sheet is discharged by the sheet discharging means in the raised state, so that the occurrence of a jam without obstructing the discharge of the sheet is prevented. Can be prevented.

The discharged sheet receiving apparatus of the present invention uses the center of gravity of the discharged sheet holding tray to maintain the state in which the discharged sheet holding tray is raised, so that the conventionally required locking means becomes unnecessary. The structure can be simplified.

Further, since the locking means is not required, the sheet for pushing down the discharged sheet holding tray does not need to push down the discharged sheet holding tray against the locking force of the locking means. Is less likely to occur.

Further, the elimination of the locking means eliminates the necessity of the conventionally required sensor, thereby simplifying the configuration.

Further, when the center of gravity passes through the position of the connecting means while the ejected sheet holding tray is being pushed down by the ejected sheet from the raised state, it can quickly and surely fall down with the help of the center of gravity. And the occurrence of jam can be prevented.

Since the image forming apparatus of the present invention is provided with the above-described discharged sheet receiving device which prevents the occurrence of a jam, it is possible to prevent the image formed on the sheet from being damaged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printer provided with a discharge sheet receiving device according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a main body.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the printer of FIG. 1 when an access cover is closed.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along a sheet conveyance direction when a discharge sheet holding tray is lowered in the printer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line EE in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the printer of FIG. 1 when a discharged sheet holding tray is raised.

FIG. 6 is a view for explaining the position of the center of gravity of a discharge sheet holding tray in the printer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a printer having a main body provided with a discharged sheet receiving device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a printer provided with a conventional discharged sheet receiving device in a main body.

9 is a perspective view of the printer of FIG. 8 when a discharge sheet holding tray is lowered.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a printer provided with another conventional discharged sheet receiving device in a main body.

11 is a perspective view of the printer of FIG. 10 when a discharge sheet holding tray is lowered.

[Explanation of symbols]

 S Sheet G Center of gravity 4 Ink cartridge (image forming means) 7 Discharge roller 8 Discharge mechanism (sheet discharging means) 9 Connecting part (connecting means) 10 Mounting member 10a Front edge of mounting member 11 Discharge sheet holding tray 11a Discharge sheet holding Front edge of tray 12 Paper discharge tray 13 Attaching / detaching mechanism 14 Image forming unit main body 15 Base 18 Recording head 20 Follower spur 100 Printer (image forming apparatus) 101 Main body (frame) 200 Printer (image forming apparatus) 201 Main body (frame)

Claims (5)

[Claims] A discharge sheet holding tray for receiving the sheet discharged by a sheet discharge means for discharging a sheet from the frame, the discharge sheet holding tray being capable of being turned upside down on the frame; A discharged sheet receiving device which is pushed down by a sheet discharged by the sheet discharging means. 2. The discharged sheet receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the discharged sheet holding tray is connected to the frame so as to be able to be turned over by connecting means. 3. The discharged sheet receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the discharged sheet holding tray is connected to a mounting member detachable from the frame body by a connecting means so as to be able to be turned upside down. 4. The position of the center of gravity of the discharge sheet holding tray is set closer to the frame than the connecting means when the discharge sheet holding tray is raised. Or the discharged sheet receiving device according to 3. 5. An image forming means for forming an image on a sheet, and the discharged sheet receiving device according to claim 1, wherein a frame of the discharged sheet receiving device is an apparatus main body. Yes,
An image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming unit and the sheet discharging unit are housed in the apparatus main body, and the discharge sheet holding tray is provided in the apparatus main body.